Apparatus for the diagnosis of patients by means of x-rays



April 1959 J. GERNETH v 2,881,038

APPARATUS FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF PATIENTS BY MEANS OF X-RAYS Filed May 29, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTDR; ose Garnet/7 f Ouwi g .ATTOR-NEELS J. GERNETH APPARATUS FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF PATIENTS BY MEANS OF X-RAYS Filed Ma 29, 1952 z-sheets-sheei 2 INVENTOR:

J f Gerneih She/m2, I

A-rTorLN E35 April 7, 195

J. GERNETH 2,881,938

APPARATUS FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF PATIENTS BY MEANS OF X-RAYS Filed may 29, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 T ILNEBS APPARATUS FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF PATIENTS BY MEANS OF X-RAYS Josef Gerneth, Erlangen, Germany Application May 29, 1952, Serial No. 290,671 5 Claims. (Cl. 311-6) This invention relates .to an X-ray apparatus and refers,

more particularly, to an apparatus for X-ray diagnosis provided with means for supporting patients, or a sup porting wall, which are swingabl e from a horizontal a 2,881,038 Patented Apr. 7, 195g 7 frame, the members constituting the path of the move,-

YE means .is employed which in the frame is swingable about one axis only, and wherein the head portion of the patients support can be low-' ered permanently only to 'a very small extent.

, Other objects of the present invention will becomejapparent in the course of the following specification.

In accomplishing the objects'of the present invention, it was found that the drawbacks of prior art apparatus for X-ray diagnosis with a frame carrying the patients support or the supporting wall, and swingable about a singlehorizonta1 axis, can be avoided by making the frame movable longitudinally in relation to the supports swingable about the horizontal axis and capable, of being locked in these move'd positions.

Due to the fact that the frame is movable longitudinally in relation to these supports and as the result ofthe comparatively small height of the apparatus, the pivotal axis for providing a vertical position for the foot portion of the support can be moved to the vicinity of this foot portion, and for adjusting the vertical position of the head portion of the support the support the axis may be moved in the vicinity of the head portion. Furthermore, in the horizontal position, the frame may be supported in its middle, that is, at its center of gravity, thereby makingit possible to reduce the weight of the apparatus to a considerable extent. i

The device efiecting the longitudinal movement and the device effecting the pivoting movementof the frame can be coupled with each other in such manner that in the course of a pivoting movement about a horizontal axis, the longitudinal movement takes place automatically. By way of example, a gear, drive can be used to shift the frame longitudinally, depending upon the swinging movement thereof, 'said gear' drive constituting at the same time a locking device which is relea'sableat will, for the purpose "of locking the frame afterits longitudinal movement. Consequently, it is not necessary that the longitudinal movement of the frame be proportional'to its inclination, but the extent of the longitudinal movementand the extent of the inclination of the frame can be dependent one, from the other according to anyother suitable relationship. For this purpose, the actuating device for shifting the frame longitudinal- 1y may be provided with means for setting the ratio between the longitudinal path and the inclination of the frame. By-way of example, wliweyerngears .orrotary means are used 'for the longitudinal movement'of'the invention wit-h'the plate carrying ment may be so constructed that in the case of an in: clination of the frame the longitudinal movementtalies place according to a prescribed function. The same can be the case when a drive provided with flexible driving includes pulleys or drums re-j ceiving these flexible elements.

An electrical motor or any other suitable driving means can be used for driving the swingable support in order tosetthe frame in a desired inclined position. Then the adjusting means for the longitudinal movement of thel frame can be brought into a direct driving rela tion'ship' with the motor. By way of example, in the above described gear drive for shifting the frame, one part of'me drive can be actuated by the motor, so that .when the .frame is pivoted an additional movement in which the flexible elements are wound can be driven .by' the motor for the purpose of adjusting the ratio be tween the longitudinal movement and the angle of inclination of the frame.

The invention will appear more clearly from the fol: lowing detailed description when taken in connection withftheaccompanying drawings, showing by way of erev ample'a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

"In the drawings: I a Figure l is a vertical section through an apparatuscon} structed --in accordance with the principles of the present the patient s support extending horizontally and with various auxiliary. deviees'being shown'in sideelevation. w

Eigur'e' 2 is a side view .of the lower. portion of the apparatus 'shown in Figure 1, some elements of the air? partus being-shown in section.

Figure 3'fis aside view of the supportnig shield located on the right hand side of Figure l on aconsiderably...

smaller scale.

" Figure 4 is a sidehview'illustrating the supporting wall:

in a Vertical positionand-with the inclined position-of:

' the supporting plate being indicated by broken lines; the

somewhat Smaller than that scale of "Figure 4 is Figures 1 and ,2.

The apparatus shown in thetdrawings includes .flanger,

, like supports 6'a'ndv 7 whieh have theform of shields and which are supported upon roller'bearin'gs 46 and 4.7-,

respectively. As will be'described in greater detail here-f inaftei', the supports 6 and 7 are. usedto carry. the. frame which serves as a carrier for the restor wall sup-I porting the patient The roller, bearings. 46 and 47 are carried by sup ports 1 and 2 which are held in spaced relationship by a transverse beam 3 and [which are supported on the Round. The supports6 and 7 are s'wingable about pivots ,4 and 5 whieh are carried by h supports land 2, respectively.

Pivots 8 and 9, carrying rollers ltl and 11, are mounted in, the support 6 close to the top thereof. Similarly, pivots 12am 13, provided with .rollers 14 and 15', are. mounted at the same'jlevel upon the support 7. These.

rollers constitute the guidesfor the guiding of the frame.

"The frame is formed of elongated profile bars' and its longitudinal portion includes a profile tube lfi with threep ofile bars17, '20 and 21, as well as a profile tub e 1 8 with the profile bars .19, 22 and "These" p iofilefbars are 'J'Qi e their s gh fiat ironelements 24 and 24a.

These profile bars of the frame provide three guides F for threeldifierent movements, the first-guide being for the aggregate, eonsistingjof the X ray tubefla'nd screenand designated in the drawings by numerals 25 to' 34; the second guide is used for the carriage designated by the numerals 35 to 41; the third path is one wherein the frame itself, serving as a carriage, is mounted upon rollers 10, 11, 14 and 15 of the supports 6 and 7, so that it can be shifted in its longitudinal direction.

The carriage for the X-ray tube and the luminous screen includes guiding rollers 25 and 26 which are carried by the ends of the arms 30 and 30a. These arms are located upon opposed ends of an elongated support 31. The screen casing 29 is mounted upon the elongated support 31 and can be shifted thereon. The casing 29 carries the X-ray tube 28. The devices 28 and 29 are connected by a curved arm 27 and a second arm 27a with a carrier 32 for the luminous screen 33 and a film casing 34. As shown in Figure l, the arms 27 and 27a telescope and can be conveniently adjusted in the vertical direction. Another arm 45 connected to the arm 27a is used as a weight balance.

The carriage for the supporting plate includes U- shaped profile bars 40 and 41, carrying the supporting plate 39. Rollers 43 and 44 engage the profile bars 40.

and 41 and run thereon. The carriage 42 for the image mirror carries the rollers 43 and 44. The profile bars 40 and 41 are connected with the arms 37 and 38, carrying the rollers 35 and 36.

The support 7 is provided with an elongated recess 7a, shown in Figure 3, which makes it possible to move the carriage containing the X-ray tube and the luminous screen along the entire length of the frame despite the provision of the connecting member 27 upon one of the pivotal axes of the frame located at one of the ends thereof.

An electrical motor 48 is used to provide an irreversible swinging drive for the supports 6 and 7. The shaft of the electrical motor 48 carries pinions 49 and 50 located at opposite ends of the shaft and meshing with the inner teeth 51 and 52, respectively, which are provided in the supports 6 and 7.

A toothed segment 53, best shown in Figure 2, is used to provide an automatic longitudinal movement of the frame relatively to the supports 6 and 7 whenever a pivotal movement of the frame takes place. The toothed segment 53 is rigidly connected with a machine support 1 and has the form of a semi-circular flange 54 provided with teeth 55. The teeth 55 extend along the entire circumference of the flange 54, namely, to an extent of somewhat more than 180. A rack 56 meshes with the teeth 55 of the toothed segment 53 and is connected with a U-shaped iron bar 20 which is provided with teeth 57. The toothed segment 53 and the rack 56 thus constitute the two parts of a gear drive which causes the rack 56 to roll upon the toothed segment 53 in the course of the swinging of the frame and thus shifts the heme automatically in its longitudinal direction relatively to the supports 6 and 7. This drive constitutes at the same time a locking device for holding the frame in its shifted positions.

All variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the appended'claims of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an X-ray apparatus, a patient-supporting frame, a support carrying said frame, said frame being movable longitudinally relatively to said support, another support carrying the first-mentioned support and pivoting it about a horizontal axis, a rack firmly connected with said frame, and a gear wheel connected with the second-mentioned support and meshing with said rack for moving said rack longitudinally and locking it in its moved positions, whereby said patient-supporting frame is swingable solely about said horizontal axis.

2. In an X-ray apparatus, a patient-supporting frame, a support carrying said frame, said frame being movable longitudinally relatively to said support, another supporting plate support carrying the first-mentioned support and pivoting it about a horizontal axis, and meshing gear drive elements for moving said frame longitudinally in accordance with a pre-set relationship while the first-mentioned support is being pivoted, whereby said patient-supporting frame is swingable solely about said horizontal axis, one of said gear drive elements being firmly connected being rigidly connected with the second-mentioned support.

3. An apparatus for the diagnosis of patients by X-rays or the like, comprising spaced fixed supports, pivots carried by said fixed supports, swingable supports mounted for rotation upon said pivots, teeth'carried by said swingable supports, a gear drive engaging said teeth, a toothed segment firmly connected with one of said fixed supports, a rack meshing with the teeth of said toothed segment, a frame firmly connected with said rack, rollers rotatably mounted upon said swingable supports and engaging said frame, other rotatable rollers engaging said frame and movable thereon, arms carrying said other rollers, an X-ray tube casing carried by said arms, a supporting plate,

and means movably supporting said supporting plate upon said frame.

4. An apparatus for the diagnosis of patients by X-rays or the like, comprising spaced fixed supports, pivots carried by said fixed supports, swingable supports mounted for rotation upon said pivots, teeth carried by said swingable supports, a gear drive engaging said teeth, a toothed segment firmly connected with one of said fixed supports, a rack meshing with the teeth of said toothed segment, a frame firmly connected with said rack, rollers rotatably mounted upon said swingable supports and engaging said frame, other rotatable rollers engaging said frame and movable thereon, arms carrying said other rollers, an X-ray tube casing carried by said arms, third rotatable rollers engaging said frame and movable thereon, arms carrying said third rollers, profile bars carrying the last-mentioned arms, and a supporting plate carried by said profile bars.

5. An apparatus or the like, comprising spaced fixed supports, pivots carried by said fixed supports, swingable supports mounted for rotation upon said pivots, teeth carried by said swingable supports, a gear drive engaging said teeth, a toothed segment firmly connected with one of said fixed supports, a rack meshing with the teeth of said toothed segment, a frame firmly connected with said rack, rollers rotatably mounted upon said swingable supports and engaging said frame, other rotatable rollers engaging said frame and movable thereon, arms carrying said other rollers, an,

X-ray tube casing carried by said arms, third rotatable rollers engaging said frame and movable thereon, arms carrying said third rollers, profile bars carrying the lastmentioned arms, a supporting plate carried by said profile bars, fourth rotatable rollers engaging said profile bars and movable thereon, and an image mirror carriage carrying said fourth rotatable rollers.

References Cited in the file of this patent for the diagnosis of patients by X-rays' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFIQATE GP QORRECTION Patent No 2,88l,38

April 7, 1959 Gerneth It is hereby certified that error appears in theprinted specification of the above numbered paten t requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4, lines '7, 8 and 9,

should appear as shown below instead of as in patent:

=- one of said gear drive elements being firmly connected with said frame, the other of said gear drive elements being rigidly connected with the seeondementioned s'ulppor tn o Signed and. sealed this 10th day of November 1959.,

(( SEAL) Attest:

KARL iEZo- AYTINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

